Slight off topic, but I wonder how accurate the references in novel/series "The Clan of the Cave Bear" where medicine man/woman skills are mainly handed down fr

Slight off topic, but I wonder how accurate the references in novel/series "The Clan of the Cave Bear" where medicine man/woman skills are mainly handed down from one generation to next. However also handed down is the skill to take tiny amounts of unknown herbs or potential foodstuffs and observe effects on their own body before working out what to do/how to use to treat ailments etc and add to common body of knowledge.